Mexican Goverment Sues Google for Renaming Gulf of Mexico as Gulf of America
President Sheinbaum confirms favorable court ruling following tech giant’s decision to label body of water as “Gulf of America”
Mexico, PUREWILAYAH.COM - The administration of President Claudia Sheinbaum has followed through on its threat to file a civil lawsuit against Google for changing the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America on its widely used Maps application.
On Friday, Sheinbaum confirmed that her government had officially sued the tech company in a Mexican court and revealed that a preliminary judicial ruling had already been issued in Mexico’s favor.
“Google has already been sued. A first ruling has been handed down, and we are now waiting,” Sheinbaum stated during her daily mañanera press conference.
Sources told El País that the Superior Court of Justice of Mexico City has ordered Google to immediately correct the name of the Gulf on its platforms. The company may still appeal the ruling to a higher court.
A Sovereignty Dispute Over Naming
The battle over the historical name of the Gulf of Mexico has demanded the Sheinbaum government’s attention, occurring alongside renewed diplomatic tensions driven by U.S. President Donald Trump.
The Republican leader has reportedly pressured Google to rename the shared body of water — which borders the United States, Mexico, and Cuba — as the Gulf of America.
In response, Google has attempted a compromise, allowing users in the United States to see the name Gulf of America while retaining Gulf of Mexico for users elsewhere.
However, Mexico rejected this approach, arguing that it constitutes a violation of its sovereignty. Back in February, Sheinbaum announced that legal action was being considered, after diplomatic channels failed to convince Google to reverse the change.
Mexico has consistently maintained that while the U.S. government may rename its own territory, any changes involving the Gulf must be restricted to U.S. continental waters — roughly 22 kilometers (12 nautical miles) from the coast — and must not extend to areas that belong to Mexico or Cuba.
“Google has no authority to rename the entire Gulf. That right belongs to international bodies,” Sheinbaum said. “What we’re asking is simple: Google should label the U.S. portion as the Gulf of America, and use Gulf of Mexico for the parts that belong to Mexico and Cuba. That’s what we’re demanding be reflected on the platform.”
Court Orders Google to Restore Name
President Sheinbaum pointed out that Trump’s executive order only instructs U.S. agencies to rename the Gulf within their own territory, noting, “We wouldn’t object if they renamed a state, mountain, or lake.
Within their territory, they can name things however they want. But our demand to Google is: ‘Follow what the U.S. government actually approved — don’t go beyond it.’ That’s what this legal dispute is about.”
Presidential sources confirmed to El País that the Mexican government, through its Legal Counsel’s Office, filed the lawsuit on March 27 before the Superior Court of Justice of Mexico City.
The suit targets both Google Operaciones de México, S. de R.L. de C.V., the company’s Mexican subsidiary, and Google LLC, its U.S.-based parent company.
The court ordered Google to immediately correct the name on its platforms and services — particularly concerning Mexico’s continental shelf and any references to Mexican or international territorial geography.
The ruling also instructs Google to suspend circulation of any maps or images displaying the term Gulf of America within Google Maps and Google Earth.
According to La Jornada, this is not the first time Mexico attempted to sue the tech giant. A previous claim filed with the Tenth Civil District Court in Mexico City was dismissed due to jurisdictional issues.
That earlier case, which accused Google’s Mexican subsidiary of moral damage and demanded financial compensation and name restitution, was thrown out by Judge Eduardo León Sandoval. The judge ruled the name change did not constitute an actual dispossession or damage to national property. (PW)
Source: El-Pais